Our city and province are fortunate to have a
thriving Pakistani community that makes an important event like this
possible.

This community has added greatly to the variety
and richness of life in Edmonton.

KATRINA

The generosity of the Palestinian community today
extends to those who lost so much since Hurricane KATRINA struck the
southern United States.

As you all know, KATRINA was termed “the worst
natural disaster in American history”, causing devastation as serious as any
war. It is a tragedy of historic proportions.

Canadians are hopefully America’s closest friends
at a time like this – as family. As such, we must pull together them in the
crisis.

PAKISTAN TODAY

On Pakistan, permit me to say a few words, having
returned today from a conference on Asian Democracy in Taipei.

There were a number of participants from Pakistan
and many from about 33 countries in all.

During the conference was launched the Asia
Democratic Index 2005 by ARDA, the Alliance for Reforms and Democracy in
Asia, which had teams of locally politically aware-not partisans-do studies
on 16 Asian countries, including Pakistan. The teams looked at a number
issues, in each country studied, including:

-civil rights

-elections

-governance & corruption

-media and

-rule of law

Among the 16 nations surveyed, Japan came out as
the most democratic and Burma the least. Pakistan ranked 11th,
but ahead of Cambodia, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore and Burma.

Among the recommendations by the Pakistani teams
looking at Pakistan were the following:

(1)Elected governments must be allowed to
complete their constitutionally-mandated terms in office. None of those
elected in the 88-99 period were allowed to complete their terms.

(2)Land reforms- As you know, big landlords
continue to dominate both the political organizations and the people of
Pakistan.

(3)Electoral reform – a voting system people
can trust is badly needed.

(4)Political parties are mostly personal
fiefdoms of the land elite, capitalists or religious leaders.

(5)

(5)
Military reforms – The military in
Pakistan continues to have immense powers, which must be removed, indicating
its influence over the political process.

(6)Basic Freedoms – The state
must withdraw all of its curbs - implicit and explicit- on freedom of
expression, speech, press associations, assembly and religions.

(7)Minorities – Women and
minorities, who form half the population, need to be empowered.

(8)Judiciary – Public distrust
of the courts is creating distrust of the state. Judges must be independent,
speedy, fair and thoughtful.

(9)Parliamentary Democracy-
All amendments to the 1973 constitution, which reduced the parliamentary
role in Pakistan, must be removed.

(10)Public
Accountability - There is too little accountability of soldiers, judges,
media leaders and public figures.